Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Korean Jajangmyeon
韓式炸醬麵
Recipe overview
Korean Jajangmyeon uses individually measured ingredients and a practical Hong Kong home-kitchen sequence to preserve the dish's characteristic texture and sauce.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g pork belly
- 600 g fresh Korean wheat noodles
- 300 g onion
- 200 g zucchini
- 250 g potato
- 100 g cucumber
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 500 ml water (for sauce)
- 2 L water (for boiling noodles)
Sauce seasoning
- 150 g Korean chunjang black bean paste
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
Cooking oil
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
02
Tools
- household hob
- cutting board and chef's knife
- raw-meat bowl and clean vegetable bowl
- frying pan and spatula
- heavy deep pot and wooden spoon
- large bowl and measuring spoons
- colander and saucepan
- food thermometer
- white serving dish and wooden spoon
03
Steps
Step 1
Cut pork belly
First dice 400 g pork belly on the cutting board and transfer it to the raw-meat bowl. Wash the board, knife and hands thoroughly, then place the cut 300 g onion, 200 g zucchini, 250 g potato and 100 g cucumber in a separate clean vegetable bowl, about 10 minutes; keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate throughout.
Step 2
Sear pork belly
Sear 400 g pork belly, 3 tbsp vegetable oil with frying pan and spatula over medium-high heat for 4 minutes until golden and set.
Step 3
Fry potato
Fry 250 g potato, 300 g onion with frying pan and spatula over medium heat for 4 minutes until fragrant without scorching.
Step 4
Add zucchini
Add 200 g zucchini with frying pan and spatula over medium heat for 2 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
Step 5
Fry Korean chunjang black bean paste
Fry 150 g Korean chunjang black bean paste, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp oyster sauce with frying pan and spatula over medium-low heat for 2 minutes until smooth and evenly combined.
Step 6
Transfer to pot and boil
Transfer all the seared pork belly, potato, onion, zucchini and fried Korean chunjang from the frying pan to the heavy deep pot, add 450 ml water and bring to a steady boil over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
Step 7
Simmer pork belly
Simmer 400 g pork belly, 250 g potato, 300 g onion and 200 g zucchini in the heavy deep pot over low heat for about 12 minutes; use a food thermometer to confirm the thickest pork reaches at least 75°C, continuing to simmer and rechecking if it has not.
Step 8
Mix cornstarch
Mix 2 tbsp cornstarch, 50 ml water with large bowl and measuring spoons for 1 minute until smooth and evenly combined.
Step 9
Add slurry and thicken
Stir the cornstarch slurry from step 8 again, slowly pour all of it into the meat sauce already containing 150 g Korean chunjang, and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until thick enough to coat the spoon.
Step 10
Bring to a boil fresh Korean wheat noodles
Bring to a boil 600 g fresh Korean wheat noodles, 2 L water with colander and saucepan over medium-high heat for 4 minutes until tender without breaking apart.
Step 11
Drain fresh Korean wheat noodles
Drain 600 g fresh Korean wheat noodles with colander and saucepan for 1 minute until clean and fully drained.
Step 12
Serve fresh Korean wheat noodles
Serve 600 g fresh Korean wheat noodles, 400 g pork belly, 250 g potato, 300 g onion, 200 g zucchini, 100 g cucumber with white serving dish and wooden spoon for 2 minutes until the sauce coats the back of the spoon.
Common mistakes
- Failing to dry pork belly lowers the pan temperature and dilutes flavour.
- Changing the measured amount of Korean chunjang black bean paste unbalances the dish.
- Excessive heat overcooks the outside of pork belly before the centre reaches the required state.
- Serving without the final doneness check can leave pork belly undercooked or overcooked.
Tips
Measure and arrange every ingredient in step order. Clean the board and knife after handling pork belly, then judge completion by time, appearance and centre doneness.
